These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State on March 18, 2026, update and consolidate the requirements for registering Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) carried on UK ships and hovercraft, coming into force on April 15, 2026.

The legislation revokes the previous EPIRB registration regulations, specifies that registration particulars must align with Merchant Shipping Notice 1924 (M+F), establishes penalties including fines and imprisonment for non-compliance by owners and masters, and grants powers to detain ships found in contravention.

Furthermore, the instrument makes consequential amendments to other regulations, including applying these new registration rules to watercraft.

The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Castlefield, Manchester) Regulations 2026 enacts temporary flight restrictions on unmanned aircraft in an area of Castlefield, Manchester, between 1100 and 1400 hours Co-ordinated Universal Time on March 16, 2026, prohibiting flights below 1,200 feet above mean sea level within a 0.5 nautical mile radius of specified coordinates, necessary due to a forthcoming Royal visit and agreed upon by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport for public safety reasons, though exemptions exist for flights authorized by Greater Manchester Police.

These Regulations officially bring into force section 49 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 on March 13, 2026, which amends the procedures for installing electric vehicle charge points on public highways by granting Electric Vehicle Charge Point Operators the legal right to use a permit-based system instead of the existing Section 50 licensing structure under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.

This Statutory Instrument, made by the Secretary of State for Transport with Treasury approval under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, increases the maximum aggregate amount General Lighthouse Authorities can borrow from £133 million to £166 million, effective from 12:01 a.m. on 31st March 2026, and extends this provision across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State for Transport under powers granted by the Air Navigation Order 2016, immediately revoke the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Falkirk, Scotland) (Emergency) Regulations 2026, because the Secretary of State determined that the emergency situation necessitating the previous flying restrictions in the specified Falkirk area no longer exists and is not considered necessary in the public interest.

The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Royal Air Force Coningsby) Regulations 2026 impose a temporary prohibition on aircraft flying below 8,000 feet above mean sea level within a 6 nautical mile radius centred at 530534N 0001000W, specifically between 1230 and 1330 hours Co-ordinated Universal Time on March 16, 2026.

This measure is enacted by the Secretary of State for Transport in the public interest to ensure safety during flying display rehearsals conducted by the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, while permitting exceptions for aircraft authorized by designated Air Traffic Control units.

These 2026 Regulations impose a restriction on the flight of unmanned aircraft below 1,000 feet above mean sea level within a specified area around Whitfield, Kent, designated as Restricted Area EGR1U100, based on security interests identified by the Secretary of State at the request of the Home Office; the Regulations come into force on 11th June 2026, revoke previous 2025 restrictions, and provide exemptions for emergency services and operations permitted by Border Force.

This Statutory Instrument, The Network Rail (Kettering to Wigston South Junction and Napsbury Lane) (Land Acquisition) Order 2026, grants Network Rail Infrastructure Limited the powers to compulsorily acquire land, or new rights over land, necessary for the electrification and improvement works on the Midland Mainline railway between Kettering and Wigston South Junction, as well as access rights at Napsbury Lane; the Order details modifications to existing legislation concerning compulsory purchase, temporary possession for construction and maintenance, compensation assessment procedures, and the extinguishment of certain private rights of way, setting a five-year limit for exercising these acquisition powers.